Veteran Hollywood publicist Gene Schwam, who represented top talent including Elvis Presley, Blake Edwards, Julie Andrews, Barbara Eden and Lenny Bruce, died Friday in Los Angeles after a brief illness. He was 96.
Schwam co-founded Hanson & Schwam Public Relations with Adeline Hanson in 1955, establishing an independent publicity agency that would endure for decades.
Schwam was earning $35 a week working for publicist Stanley Cowan when he decided to strike out on his own. He joined forces with Hanson, a part-time disc jockey and publicist, to launch their firm. When it came time to decide whose name would come first, Schwam wanted his own name at the front. Hanson’s response settled the matter: “Ladies first.”
Starting with Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant as their first client, Hanson & Schwam grew into an enduring presence in entertainment publicity, with Schwam continuing as president and co-founder decades later.
Clients included Nancy Wilson and Lou Rawls, as well as the famous Coconut Grove nightclub, which helped the agency foster relationships with numerous entertainers.
His colorful representation (and intentional misreputation) of Presley in 1957 was covered in Variety at the time of the release of Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” in 2022.
Schwam’s longtime relationship with Edwards extended beyond the professional. He was a friend as well as a publicist to the legendary director of such classics as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “10,” and“Victor/Victoria.”
Edwards’ character of the neurotic publicist in his film “S.O.B.” was based on Schwam. That friendship reflected something fundamental about Schwam’s approach: he was known for his passionate engagement and resourceful guidance of his clients’ careers.
Vernon Scott, the longtime United Press International entertainment correspondent, called him “The best idea man in Hollywood,” a description that captured the inventive thinking at the center of Schwam’s work.
Later in life, Schwam created Humanity 101, an initiative of Arizona State University’s Project Humanities, promoting the values of compassion, empathy, forgiveness, integrity, kindness, respect and self-reflection.
He is survived by his wife, Myrna; daughter Stephanie Schwam (Instagram contact @youreprettyandnice); stepchildren Adam, Greg and Linda London; and four grandchildren.